Man charged in rape cases; inquiry ongoing

Published 10:00 pm, Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Prosecutors have filed rape charges against a Seattle man who police believe may have attacked other women.

In court documents, Imran Gulamnabi Vahora, 29, is accused of raping two women -- including one who was pregnant -- during separate instances in the parking lot of a SeaTac-area church.

The first attack occurred at 10:30 p.m. Oct. 27, when, according to police, a woman, 18, was grabbed off the street while walking on Pacific Highway South. The woman, who was pregnant, told police her attacker pulled her in through his passenger's side window, punched her in the face, then drove to the Iglesia Apostolica parking lot at 3730 S. 166th St.

There, Vahora threatened to beat her if she fought against his sexual assault, she told police.

"If you don't be good, I'm going to leave big bruises on your face, and I'm going to kill you," he said.

Vahora hit her several times when she tried to flee.

Prosecutors also charged Vahora in an attack Nov. 22. In that instance, a 19-year-old woman told police she had been raped at knife point in the same church parking lot.

King County deputy sheriffs identified Vahora using the license plate number provided by the victims. Both were able to identify Vahora as their attacker.

According to police, Vahora admitted to using a knife to threaten women he'd picked up for sex, but denied the abduction. Police found clothing belonging to the second woman at his home.